Thread guide

ABSTRACT

An upswingable, self-threading yarn guide is disclosed, having two legs extending from a single shank to form a bifurcate yarngathering structure, one leg intermediate its juncture with the shank being bent downwardly and outwardly as a yarn-gathering guide, and the other leg intermediate its juncture with the shank being bent downwardly and inwardly thereof and terminating in a helical turn away from said first leg so as to receive yarn gathered by said first leg in a yarn-retaining and self-threading function. Also disclosed is a conventional circular holder attached to the shank opposite the legs for attachment to an upswingable yarn guide-holding fixture attached to a textile spinning or twisting machine.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Albert D. Harmon Clemson, SC. [21] Appl. No. 79,736 [22] Filed Oct. 12,1970 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee Maremont Corporation Chicago, 111.

[54] THREAD GUIDE 6 Cla1ms, 2 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S. Cl.. 242/157 R [51) Int. Cl B65h 57/08 [50] Field of Search 242/157 R, 157 C; 57/106 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 369,868 9/1887 Mathewson 242/157 R 1,029,399 6/1912 Rand 242/ 1 57 C 1,117,596 11/1914 O'Connell 242/157 C 2,388,239 11/1945 Decker, .lr. 242/157 R 2,747,815 5/1956 Trapido 242/157 R Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath Anomey Donald H. F eldman I ABSTRACT: An upswingable, self-threading yarn guide is disclosed, having two legs extending from a single shank to form a bifurcate yarn-gathering structure, one leg intermediate its juncture with the shank being bent downwardly and outwardly as a yarn-gathering guide, and the other leg intermediate its juncture with the shank being bent downwardly and inwardly thereof and terminating in a helical turn away from said first leg so as to receive yarn gathered by said first leg in a yarnretaining and self-threading function. Also disclosed is a conventional circular holder attached to the shank opposite the 'legs for attachment to an upswingable yarn guide-holding fixture attached to a textile spinning or twisting machine.

PATENTEDDEE nan 352 3195 I INVENTOR. M/fr D. llama/y Maw THREAD cums BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present yarn or thread guide comprises a generally U- or V-shaped bifurcate yarn gathering portion having divergently extending legs, one of said legs intermediate the apex joining it with the other leg being bent downwardly and the other leg being bent downwardly and inwardly towards the apex and terminating in a helical turn away from the first leg; a mount or holder portion for releasably securing the yarn guide to the textile machine through some attachment such as a conventional yam guide fixture adapted to hold the yarn guide, which fixture may be pivotable so as to swing the yarn guide secured thereto upward and out of the way of package being doffed from the machine; and a shank portion joining the bifurcate portion to the mount portion.

THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the present invention may be had through the descriptions which follow when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

. FIG. I shows, in plan view, an embodiment of the present yarn guide which is usable with Z-twist yarn; and

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in elevation.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning to the figures, the yarn guide has at one end a U- or V-shaped bifurcate yarn gathering portion, generally designated 10, having an apex or juncture element 18 joining the two divergent legs 12,20 thereof, leg 12 having a downwardly depending element 14 from a bend l6 intermediate leg 12, and leg 20 having a downwardly depending element 22 which is directed inwardly towards apex 18 through a bend 24 intermediate leg 20, element 22 terminating with a helical turn 26 pitched in a direction away from or opposite to the divergence of leg 12. At its other end, the yarn guide has a mount portion 28 shown in the form of a semicircular element; joining bifurcate portion to mount portion 28 is a shank portion 30. 1

OTHER EMBODIMENTS 12,20 would be reversed from that shown with leg 12 to the right of leg.20; further, helical turn 26 may continue as several turns; shank 30 instead of being a single rodlike element may be plural, or be a plate which may be pivotable through a hinge element intermediate its ends for upor down-swinging bifurcate portion 10 in the absence of a pivotable yarn guide fixture attached to the machine; further, mount portion 28 may be of any conventional structure well known to the art for releasable securing of the guide to the textile machine.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION Generally, the present yarn guide would be fixed to a textile machine through releasable connection between mount portion 28 and some fixture which, in many instances, would be pivoted so as to permit the guide to be swung out of the way of a package of yarn being dofi'ed from the machine. When the guide is so swung, yarn held within helix turn 26 is retained thereby and not lost due to retention by element 22 of leg 20. In certain textile machines, such as spinning or twisting frames, guides are used intermediate the yarn delivery or drafting rolls and the spindle takeup devices for package formation as on a bobbin tube. As the spindles turn, the yarns therebetween are twisted with, conventionally, a Z or "S" twist for imparting strength; in such operations it is often desirable to thread the guide while the machine is running; with the present guide, automatic or self-threading is obtained, the turning yarn engaging the inside of leg element 14, being guided around the inside surfaces of leg 12, juncture 18, and leg 20 around bend 24, element 22 and into the annulus of helical turn 26 to be retained therein. If a break in the yarn should occur, it may be pieced manually and the guide threaded as was described; if an automatic piecing device is used, hand threading of a guide is disadvantageous to complete, automatic operations, but through the use of the present guide, after piecing is effected by the device, the yarn will self-thread itself into the guide as was previously described.

Thus, having described the construction, operation and advantages of the invention, that which is claimed is:

l. A thread guide comprising a bifurcate thread-gathering and retaining means having two laterally divergent legs joined to an apex member, one of said legs, intermediate its ends, being bent downwardly and away from said apex member and the other of said legs, intermediate its ends, being bent downwardly and toward said apex member and having its free end terminating in a helical turn which is pitched in a direction opposite to that of the divergence of said one leg.

2. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said helical turn has its axis of symmetry normal to the plane of said apex member.

3. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said bend of said one leg is closer to said apex member than the bend of said other leg.

4. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said apex member is joined to a mounting means for mounting said guide on a textile machine by a shank therebetween.

5. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said apex member and said legs form a generally U-shaped structure.

6. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said apex member and said legs form a generally V-shaped structure. 

1. A thread guide comprising a bifurcate thread-gathering and retaining means having two laterally divergent legs joined to an apex member, one of said legs, intermediate its ends, being bent downwardly and away from said apex member and the other of said legs, intermediate its ends, being bent downwardly and toward said apex member and having its free end terminating in a helical turn which is pitched in a direction opposite to that of the divergence of said one leg.
 2. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said helical turn has its axis of symmetry normal to the plane of said apex member.
 3. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said bend of said one leg is closer to said apex member than the bend of said other leg.
 4. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said apex member is joined to a mounting means for mounting said guide on a textile machine by a shank therebetween.
 5. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said apex member and said legs form a generally U-shaped structure.
 6. A thread guide as in claim 1 wherein said apex member and said legs form a generally V-shaped structure. 